Salsa
by Lady Kasai
Summary: Phoenix decides to show Edgeworth how to loosen up a bit. Takes place after Sense Upon Cents but can stand alone.


There's a certain joy to be had when dancing down a hallway in one's socks.

His left foot gave a great shove and sent him gliding across the polished hardwood floor. His arms flared from his sides, giving an illusion of speed, and he felt deliciously suave for a moment. He had always liked to do this as a child, imagining himself in a great choreographed dance scene during which he was front and center, winning the hearts of millions with his excellent moves. He repeated the movement in the opposite direction and instead won the attention of Miles Edgeworth's bedroom door.

It had been a few days since his "rescue" from the streets, when the prosecution attorney had found him curled up outside of the quaint lounge. The house he was now tentatively occupying was much nicer than any in which he had lived before, and he supposed it was ironic that he had upgraded so far from being homeless.

His fingers tapped the sides of his legs and he crooned a few notes, taking advantage of the empty house.

He'd always been aware that he could sing well, having dabbled in choral groups throughout his schooling and snagging the hearts (and carnal pleasures) of a few ladies through some richly sung love songs. Enjoying the feel of being warm and well-fed, he belted out a verse, feeling a little awkward hearing his own voice without backup. His toes wagged across the floor once again, propelling him into an awkward dance down the hallway as accompaniment to his tune.

He and Edgeworth weren't necessarily a couple. Yet, anyway. Since that first night, when the attorney had joined him in his bath, their relationship was delicate, and Phoenix wasn't quite yet assured that he wouldn't be promptly booted out onto his ass. As a result he kept himself quiet and reserved, maintaining a bit of distance for both their sakes. He was cheerful, though, and determined to pull his own weight since it was nigh impossible to pay rent.

That didn't mean he wouldn't act like a goofball when Edgeworth was at work, however.

When the cats are away, the mice will dance in their skivvies.

He was mid-boogie when the door opened, but he saw no reason to stop. Knowing that Edgeworth was watching now, Phoenix bent into a crouch and wiggled his arms in a comic display, scrunching his face up in great concentration and continuing to mumble melodically. His back was to the door, and he nearly giggled at the thought of what he must look like.

"…What _are _you doing, Wright?"

He finally turned to look at his savior.

Miles Edgeworth, in all his professional glory, was looking at him with an expression of befuddlement.

"I'm dancing." Phoenix stood and turned to his former rival with a grin. "Wanna join me?"

He anticipated the disappointed-head-shake and the briefcase-by-the-door. Edgeworth was a precise man; his life was the very definition of order. His clothes were pressed neatly and every object in the house had its own place, and even the man's speech was dead-on. While accuracy and manners were nice, however, Phoenix was quite sure that Edgeworth _really _needed to loosen up a bit.

He took the mission personally.

The brunette swaggered up to the suit-clad man, swaying his hips and arms. It earned him an exasperated chuckle, and the prosecution attorney shook the bangs from his eyes. "I'm afraid dancing isn't quite my area of expertise."

"That's okay. I'll show you how."

He tugged playfully at the silk cravat hiding a smooth neck from his vision. The motion led the attorney into his family room, encouraged by a wriggling behind. Phoenix never faltered, and as Edgeworth came to a halt with his arms _firmly _at his sides, the former defense attorney broke into a series of thrusts that nearly revealed a bit more skin than Phoenix had intended. "Wright, is it really necessary to be in a state of undress to accomplish this?"

Pausing in his routine, Phoenix pretended to think about it for a moment. "Yep." He drank in the incredulity twisting his rival's features before thumbing his nose confidently.

Edgeworth stood stiffly with narrowed eyes, suspicious and just the tiniest bit shy. He had never _danced_, per se, as elementary school didn't quite provide the opportunity and he was beyond positive that had he wriggled his boxer-clad behind at Prosecutor von Karma, it wouldn't have fated well for him _or _his career. Phoenix seemed quite intent on teaching him something, however, and so he allowed his hands and arms to be manipulated, feeling uncomfortable.

Phoenix nodded and put his serious face on. "For this, I'll have to have your hands here," he put one of Edgeworth's palms on his hip, "and…here," lacing his fingers with the other hand, he held them at shoulder height. "And we're gonna have to come in close, like _this_," he pulled the prosecutor close to his body, not really out of necessity, but to revel in Edgeworth's discomfort and enjoy the heat emanating from the man's body.

Miles Edgeworth's frown was sour.

"Now, follow my lead—"

"I'm the woman?"

A laugh. "Well, you're certainly dressed in an appropriate color!"

"This is preposterous."

"Oh, just go with it. Like this," the former defense attorney stepped back, dragging the man with him. Edgeworth fell into step automatically, and after a few awkward attempts and exactly one crushed big toe, the two men were gliding around the house in sync.

Phoenix wondered what they looked like. A delicate, perfect man dressed in the finest of suits, and a blocky, formerly-homeless man in his underwear ballroom dancing around the house certainly painted an amusing picture. A smooth rumble bubbled from within him and he began to accompany their twirling, enjoying the closeness of another body and the feel of the room spinning around them.

Even Edgeworth seemed to be loosening up, grinning triumphantly when he nailed a twirl, sunk successfully into a dip, or switched feet without stomping on his dancing partner. He was a very fast learner, unsurprisingly, and Phoenix admired him.

Especially when he paused their escapade to strip from the waist up, fanning himself daintily with his cravat.

"See? I told you."

"Shut up, Wright. You'll find any excuse to remove your clothing."

"Not true! You just won't let me wear yours." He offered his hand with exaggerated charm and smirked when four manicured fingers curled into his grasp. A sharp tug landed him one prosecution attorney in his hold, and his eyes narrowed. "Curl out, then twist in."

Edgeworth's frame was slender but nimble. The man followed Phoenix's instructions gracefully, spinning his body in a flourish to halt with their arms extended to each other. Before the former attorney could pull his partner back in, however, his balance was offset as he was tugged forward. He twisted his body instinctively and landed against a muscular chest before he was arched into a very sharp dip.

Above him, the slate eyes of Miles Edgeworth sparkled.

"I'm tired of following you, Wright. As it is, I'm…how do you say, wearing the pants in this relationship?"

Phoenix looked at him.

And then he cracked up.

"Edgeworth, that has to be the worst possible application of a pun-cliché combo I have ever heard."

An indignant snort kicked off a moment of light silence, neither wishing to be alone any longer and relishing the feel of pleasant company. Phoenix's body was beginning to ache from the angle he was being held at, but it was the furthest thing from his mind, as his gaze and thoughts both were pinned by the eyes of his former rival. He'd seen countless romantic comedies where they had the silence-just-before-the-kiss, but he didn't actually think it ever happened in real life.

His eyes slid shut anyway, and he felt stupid for a moment, wondering why he was expecting anything. Sure, they had bathed together, but he'd showered with guys before after games, and it meant nothing.

When he showered with guys, however, he wasn't being supported by two delicious arms, and he hadn't danced around the house singing a salsa tune with them either. He couldn't see Edgeworth, but he was hoping that he wasn't just leaning in for nothing. He'd had his dating days, but he wasn't particularly charismatic, and if he were puckering his lips and arching up for nothing, he would feel rather…well, silly.

His heart was thundering when he did indeed feel the lightest of kisses on his bottom lip. It lasted only seconds, but the aftershock rippled throughout his body.

They straightened, then, their noses still side by side, bare chests brushing against each other with each breath.

"Is this part of the dance as well?"

Phoenix chuckled.

"You know, I was considering saving it for lesson two."


End file.
